Backplane Connector Shield Structure for Grounding Return Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing backplane connectors have limitations in grounding return due to the disconnection between certain side walls of the metal shield surrounding member, which affects shielding and grounding effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a metal shield surrounding member with fully-enclosed shielding cavities formed by opposing side walls, allowing for improved grounding return through the integration of multiple side walls, enhancing shielding and grounding capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the metal shield surrounding member uses a U-shaped mounting portion with disconnected side walls, then the structure is simpler and easier to manufacture, but the grounding return effect and shielding effect are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The metal shield surrounding member is divided into a surrounding portion and a mounting portion, with the surrounding portion forming a fully enclosed cavity for shielding and the mounting portion providing grounding connections. This segmentation allows each part to optimize its function while maintaining overall performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The sixth side wall is connected to the third side wall, and the seventh side wall is connected to the fourth side wall, merging previously disconnected wall segments into continuous grounding paths. This merging enables multiple grounding return routes, improving both shielding effectiveness and grounding reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If the metal shield surrounding member uses a U-shaped mounting portion with disconnected side walls, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the shielding effect is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The surrounding portion is designed to form a fully enclosed shielding cavity before the mounting portion is attached to the circuit board. This preliminary enclosure ensures that the shielding cavity is complete and effective at blocking electromagnetic interference before the connector is installed.
Solution Approach 2:
The disconnected side walls (sixth wall with third wall, seventh wall with fourth wall) are merged to create continuous metallic barriers, enhancing the shielding effect by eliminating gaps that would allow electromagnetic interference to penetrate the shielding cavity.
3Device complexity
If the side walls are disconnected to simplify the structure, then the device complexity is reduced, but the grounding return path is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The metal shield surrounding member is designed with flexible mounting feet that can deform during installation to snap-fit onto the circuit board. This dynamic characteristic allows for easy assembly while maintaining rigid electrical connections for grounding return paths once installed.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple side walls are merged to form continuous grounding paths, creating multiple parallel grounding return routes. This merging of wall segments provides redundant grounding paths, improving reliability without significantly increasing structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A backplane connector includes a housing, a number of terminal modules and a number of metal shield surrounding members. The metal shield surrounding member includes a surrounding portion and a mounting portion. The surrounding portion includes a first side wall, a second side wall, a third side wall and a fourth side wall which are enclosed to form a first fully-enclosed shielding cavity. The mounting portion includes a fifth side wall, a sixth side wall, a seventh side wall and an eighth side wall which are enclosed to form a second fully-enclosed shielding cavity. The sixth side wall and the second side wall are separated from each other along the first direction. The eighth side wall and the fourth side wall are separated from each other along the first direction.